Heat-dissipating device

ABSTRACT

A heat-dissipating device includes a thermal superconducting body, a fan unit and a guide pipe. The superconducting body includes a hollow heat transfer body adapted to be disposed on a heat-generating component of an electronic device. The heat transfer body is made of a heat-conducting material and is configured to confine at least one air channel. The fan unit is disposed to draw hot air away from the heat transfer body. The guide pipe has an inlet port in fluid communication with the heat transfer body for collecting hot air from the heat transfer body, an outlet port in fluid communication with the fan unit, and an intermediate pipe portion interconnecting the inlet and outlet ports for guiding the hot air from the inlet port to the outlet port for extraction by the fan unit.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

[0001] This application claims priority of Taiwan Patent Application No.091114537, filed on Jul. 1, 2002.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] 1. Field of the Invention

[0003] The invention relates to a heat-dissipating device, moreparticularly to a heat-dissipating device that can dissipate heat in ahighly efficient manner.

[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art

[0005]FIG. 1 shows a conventional heat-dissipating device adapted to bemounted on top of a heat-generating component 12 that is disposed on acircuit board 11 of an electronic device. The heat-generating component12 can be a central processing unit, an integrated circuit, or the like.The heat-dissipating device includes an aluminum heat-dissipating finunit 13 disposed in thermal contact with the heat-generating component12, and a fan 14 oriented toward the fin unit 13. The fin unit 13 has abottom portion provided with a heat-conducting plate 15 that is formedfrom copper and that facilitates the transfer of heat generated by theheat-generating component 12 to the fin unit 13. However, such aconventional heat-dissipating device has the following setbacks:

[0006] 1. Although aluminum and copper have quite high temperaturecoefficients of conductivity, their combined heat-dissipating effect isnot very satisfactory, resulting in that the surface temperature of theheat-generating component 12 remains higher than that of the fin unit13. That is, currents of air blown from the fan 14 can only disperse theheat around the fin unit 13, and cannot reach the surface of theheat-generating component 12 to dissipate the heat around theheat-generating component 12.

[0007] 2. In view of the aforesaid, when heat gradually accumulates onthe surface of the heat-generating component 12, since the conventionalheat-dissipating device cannot effectively dissipate the high heat, theoperation of the heat-generating component 12 will be affected, whichmay result in shutdown of or even damage to the electronic device.

[0008] 3. Referring to FIG. 2, where the heat-generating component 12 isa central processing unit disposed within a computer housing 2 andmounted in a processor socket 16 of a main board 17, the currents of airproduced by the fan 14 for dissipating the heat around the centralprocessing unit will become hot and disperse within the computer housing2, thereby raising the temperature within the computer housing 2.Although a power supply 3 with an exhaust-type fan unit 31 is disposedfor drawing the hot air from within the computer housing 2, as well asdissipating the heat generated thereby, the heat dissipating effect isnot ideal.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0009] Therefore, the main object of the present invention is to providea heat-dissipating device which achieves an enhanced heat-dissipatingeffect using a single fan unit.

[0010] Accordingly, a heat-dissipating device of this inventionincludes:

[0011] a thermal superconducting body including a hollow heat transferbody adapted to be disposed on a heat-generating component of anelectronic device, the heat transfer body being made of aheat-conducting material and being configured to confine at least oneair channel;

[0012] a fan unit disposed to draw hot air away from the heat transferbody; and

[0013] a guide pipe having an inlet port in fluid communication with theheat transfer body for collecting hot air from the heat transfer body,an outlet port in fluid communication with the fan unit, and anintermediate pipe portion interconnecting the inlet and outlet ports forguiding the hot air from the inlet port to the outlet port forextraction by the fan unit.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0014] Other features and advantages of the present invention willbecome apparent in the following detailed description of the preferredembodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which:

[0015]FIG. 1 is a schematic exploded side view of a conventionalheat-dissipating device;

[0016]FIG. 2 is a fragmentary partly cut-away perspective view showingthe conventional heat-dissipating device in a computer housing;

[0017]FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of aheat-dissipating device according to the present invention in a state ofuse;

[0018]FIG. 4 is a sectional view illustrating a thermal superconductingbody of the preferred embodiment; and

[0019]FIG. 5 is a top view of the thermal superconducting body of thepreferred embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0020] Referring to FIGS. 3 to 5, the preferred embodiment of aheat-dissipating device according to the present invention is shown toinclude a thermal superconducting body 4, a fan unit 7, and a guide pipe6.

[0021] The thermal superconducting body 4 includes a hollow heattransfer body 40 adapted to be disposed on a heat-generating component5, such as a central processing unit, of an electronic device, and ismade of a heat-conducting material, such as aluminum, copper metal,alloy metal, or other materials with good thermal conductivity. The heattransfer body 40 has an inner surface confining a sealed vacuum chamber41, and a base portion 45 adapted to be disposed in thermal contact withthe heat-generating component 5 so that heat generated by theheat-generating component 5 is transferred to the heat transfer body 40.The thermal superconducting body 4 further includes a heat transferlayer 42 that is formed from a superconductor material and that forms asuperconductor lining on the inner surface of the heat transfer body 40.In this embodiment, the superconductor material is injected into theheat transfer body 40, which is then evacuated and sealed to form thesealed vacuum chamber 41. It is noted that a plurality of equidistantlyspaced-apart limiting blocks can be disposed on the inner surface of theheat transfer body 40 so as to prevent flattening or angular deformationof the heat transfer body 40 when air is exhausted from the heattransfer body 40 to form the sealed vacuum chamber 41.

[0022] It is noted herein that the superconductor material includes atleast one compound selected from the group consisting of sodiumperoxide, sodium oxide, beryllium oxide, manganese sesquioxide, aluminumdichromate, calcium dichromate, boron oxide, dichromate radical, andcombinations thereof; at least one compound selected from the groupconsisting of cobaltous oxide, manganese sesquioxide, beryllium oxide,strontium chromate, strontium carbonate, rhodium oxide, cupric oxide,β-titanium, potassium dichromate, boron oxide, calcium dichromate,manganese dichromate, aluminum dichromate, dichromate radical, andcombinations thereof; or at least one compound selected from the groupconsisting of denatured rhodium oxide, potassium dichromate, denaturedradium oxide, sodium dichromate, silver dichromate, monocrystallinesilicon, beryllium oxide, strontium chromate, boron oxide, sodiumperoxide, β-titanium, a metal dichromate, and combinations thereof.

[0023] In practice, prior to injection of the superconductor materialinto the heat transfer body 40, the sealed vacuum chamber 41 issubjected to passivation and is then washed and dried.

[0024] In this embodiment, the heat transfer body 40 is formed with aplurality of fins 43 extending uprightly from the base portion 45opposite to the heat-generating component 5. An adjacent pair of thefins 43 defines an air channel 44.

[0025] The fan unit 7 is disposed to draw hot air away from the heattransfer body 40.

[0026] The guide pipe 6 is made from a heat-resistant metal or rubbermaterial, and has an inlet port 61 in fluid communication with the heattransfer body 40 for collecting hot air from the heat transfer body 40,an outlet port 63 connected to and in fluid communication with the fanunit 7, and a flexible intermediate pipe portion 62 interconnecting theinlet and outlet ports 61, 63 for guiding the hot air from the inletport 61 to the outlet port 63 for extraction by the fan unit 7. Theinlet port 61 of the guide pipe 6 is connected to the base portion 45 ofthe heat transfer body 40, and has the fins 43 disposed therein so as tobe in fluid communication with the air channels 44 defined by the fins33. In this embodiment, the intermediate pipe portion 62 is configuredas a bellows pipe portion.

[0027] In use, by virtue of the exceptionally high temperaturecoefficient of conductivity of the thermal superconducting body 4, theheat generated by the heat-generating component 5 during operationthereof can be quickly transferred to the thermal superconducting body4. In addition, as the inlet port 61 of the guide pipe 6 straddles overthe thermal superconducting body 4, the hot air around theheat-generating component 5 can be directed to flow along the airchannels 44 through the guide pipe 6 for extraction via the fan unit 7,thereby rapidly lowering the temperature around the heat-generatingcomponent 5.

[0028] It is noted that the fan unit 7 can be a fan member of a powersupply (not shown) disposed in a computer housing (not shown) forsupplying electric power to a computer. As such, when the computer ispowered on, the fan unit 7 can suck hot air around the heat-generatingcomponent 5 and other heat-generating components, such as hard diskdrives, optical disk drives, via the inlet port 61 of the guide pipe 6for extraction to the exterior of the computer housing.

[0029] For enhancing heat-dissipating effect, the heat-dissipatingdevice of this invention further includes a heat collecting plate 8adapted to be disposed between the thermal superconducting body 4 andthe heat-generating component 5. The heat collecting plate 8 has twoopposite surfaces, each of which is coated with a heat conducting paste9. In this embodiment, the heat collecting plate 8 is formed from ametal material of good heat conductivity, such as copper and aluminum.

[0030] It has thus been shown that the heat-dissipating device of thisinvention can achieve an excellent heat-dissipating effect with the useof only a single fan unit.

[0031] While the present invention has been described in connection withwhat is considered the most practical and preferred embodiment, it isunderstood that this invention is not limited to the disclosedembodiment but is intended to cover various arrangements included withinthe spirit and scope of the broadest interpretation so as to encompassall such modifications and equivalent arrangements.

I claim:
 1. A heat-dissipating device comprising: a thermalsuperconducting body including a hollow heat transfer body adapted to bedisposed on a heat-generating component of an electronic device, saidheat transfer body being made of a heat-conducting material and beingconfigured to confine at least one air channel; a fan unit disposed todraw hot air away from said heat transfer body; and a guide pipe havingan inlet port in fluid communication with said heat transfer body forcollecting hot air from said heat transfer body, an outlet port in fluidcommunication with said fan unit, and an intermediate pipe portioninterconnecting said inlet and outlet ports for guiding the hot air fromsaid inlet port to said outlet port for extraction by said fan unit. 2.The heat-dissipating device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising aheat collecting plate adapted to be disposed between said thermalsuperconducting body and the heat-generating component.
 3. Theheat-dissipating device as claimed in claim 2, wherein said heatcollecting plate has two opposite surfaces, each of which is coated witha heat conducting paste.
 4. The heat-dissipating device as claimed inclaim 1, wherein said heat transfer body has an inner surface confininga sealed vacuum chamber, and a base portion adapted to be disposed inthermal contact with the heat-generating component so that heatgenerated by the heat-generating component is transferred to said heattransfer body.
 5. The heat-dissipating device as claimed in claim 4,wherein said heat transfer body is formed with a plurality of finsextending uprightly from said base portion opposite to theheat-generating component, said at least one air channel being definedby an adjacent pair of said fins and being in fluid communication withsaid inlet port.
 6. The heat-dissipating device as claimed in claim 5,wherein said inlet port of said guide pipe is connected to said baseportion of said heat transfer body and has said fins disposed therein.7. The heat-dissipating device as claimed in claim 4, wherein saidthermal superconducting body further includes a heat transfer layerformed from a superconductor material and forming a superconductorlining on said inner surface of said heat transfer body.
 8. Theheat-dissipating device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said fan unit isconnected to said outlet port of said guide pipe.
 9. Theheat-dissipating device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said intermediatepipe portion is configured as a bellows pipe portion.